Kylie Stewart was announced the Stay, Play, Rural (sponsored by Access) category winner at this year's Enterprising Rural Women Awards ceremony at the Rural Women New Zealand National Conference in Christchurch. Her business, Rangitikei Farmstay, offers accommodation for up to 19 guests and a range of activities on and off the 1560 acre sheep and beef farm at Marton.

Kylie and her husband Andrew moved on to the farm in 2005, surrounded by beautiful landscape and scattered, largely unused buildings filled with ‘treasures’ – saws, stencils, pack saddles, and a push mower to name a few, used by the Stewart family on the farm for the past three generations. The couple began renovating the old buildings and first opened up a bunkhouse and farm museum. They have since converted three other buildings and have developed their farmstay business with farm tours, shearing and mustering demonstrations, horse riding, farm walks, clay bird shooting and hole in one golf.

They now see a range of guests from school groups, birthday parties, and overseas travellers. Continuing to develop, the couple are presently building a lake to begin water activities on the property. To set up your visit to Rangitikei Farmstay, find them online.

Check back here often to see the latest news posted about our Stay, Play, Rural winner.

The Wanganui Chronicle, All creature comforts on hand

Rural TV (NZ) produced a video of Kylie's acceptance speech. View it on YouTube.

Rural Women New Zealand, in partnership with Meridian has two Fruit and Vege Garden Grants to give away to two South Island primary schools.

• $2,000 cash to be used to buy equipment, seedlings or plants to start a vegetable or fruit garden, or further develop one already in place.
• A copy of A Good Harvest - Recipes from the gardens of Rural Women New Zealand.

A study by Massey University researchers has found that vaccinating working dogs is likely to be beneficial in protecting them from the Hardjo strain of Leptospirosis. 

Leptospirosis is a severe and sometimes fatal disease in dogs. Dogs may also have no symptoms, but can be a source of infection for humans and other animals.

The Massey study sampled 655 dogs, which were screened for four Leptospirosis strains: Copenhageni, Pomona, Harjo and Ballum. 10.3% of all types of dogs tested positive to serovar Copenhageni, while serovar Harjo was predominantly found in breeds of dogs used as farm working dogs.

The full scientific article ‘A Serological Survey of Leptospiral Antibodies in Dogs in New Zealand” AL Harland, NJ Cave, BR Jones, J Benschop, JJ Donald, AC Midwinter, RA Squires & JM Collins-Emerson, was published in the New Zealand Veterinary Journal – 8 August 2012, and can be purchased by going to www.tandfonline.com/loi/tnzv20

Rural Women New Zealand has been at the heart of several projects to manage the effects of land use in order to protect our waterways, through our involvement with the NZ Landcare Trust.
These projects have highlighted the importance of working with communities to find local solutions to local problems. 

So a new publication just out from the Trust – Rural Catchment Management: A guide for partners - will be a welcome new tool in the box.

The guide covers common themes that run through successful catchment management projects, with a focus on effective community consultation. 

For more information go to www.landcare.org.nz/catchmentguide

“Fast, Fresh & Tasty”  is an award-winning New Zealand recipe app. It’s full of local ingredients and is designed to help you find something simply delicious to make for dinner tonight. It’s updated seasonally and currently has over 160 recipes to choose from. 

The app also has handy things like a shopping list which you can send on to someone else; you can share what you’re cooking via social media; and you can mark your favourite recipes for easy access. It was recently #1 in Apple’s iTunes store Food and Drink category.

The recipes aim to give people using the app new ideas with familiar ingredients, as well as the inspiration to try some new things out. You can choose what you’re making based on a whole range of main ingredients, or based on different cooking styles: “I feel like soup tonight”, for instance.

The app has the potential to help local food producers too. Food partners pay to be in some of the app’s recipes. For example, in New Zealand Silver Fern Farms, Campbell’s Real Stocks, George Weston Foods, the Seafood Industry Council, Hansells, and Rangitikei Corn Fed Free Range Chickens are all partners with Fast, Fresh & Tasty.

The app developers say that for local artisan producers, Fast, Fresh & Tasty is an opportunity for them to get exposure to new consumers at a lower cost than compared to making an app themselves, or even other forms of advertising.

“Fast Fresh & Tasty” is a Universal app; optimised for both the iPhone and iPad. It costs $5.29 to download from the Apple store.

Administered by the NZ Farm Environment Trust (NZFE) and operating in nine regions, this annual competition promotes sustainable land management by showcasing the work of people farming in an environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable way.

There are several award categories:

• a Supreme Winner will be selected from each of the 9 regions (supreme Winners will be chosen from the group of finalists – $3000 cash prize);

• National Award – Gordon Stephenson Trophy (the winner will be selected from the 9 regional Supreme Winners – Prize package TBA)

• Ballance Nutrient Management Award (focuses on the wise use of nutrients for productivity while demonstrating excellent care for the environment around them – $1000 cash/product);

• Beef + Lamb New Zealand Livestock Farm Award (recognises the livestock farmer (other than dairy) who demonstrates in a practical way the choices that have been made to farm for the long term – $1000 cash/services);

• Hill Laboratories Harvest Award (recognises the farmer who is predominantly involved in growing crops but also encompasses livestock farmers who demonstrate excellent pasture and soil management – $1000 cash/product);
• LIC Dairy Farm Award (recognises the dairy farmer who demonstrates in a practical way the choices that have been made to farm for the long term – $1000 cash/product);
• Massey University Discovery Award (given in recognition of new discovery and implementation of economically and environmentally sustainable farming systems – $1000 cash/services);

• PGG Wrightson Land and Life Award (focused more on the all important “people” side of the farming business – $1000 cash/product);

• WaterForce Integrated Management Award (recognises the farmer who has developed and implemented integrated water management systems and processes for water used within their farming system – $1000 cash/product);

• Donaghys Farm Stewardship Award (for the creation of special places on farm and may include protection and/or enhancement of cultural, historic, or unique natural or manmade features - $1000 cash/product);

• Meridian Energy Excellence Award (excellence in utilising on-farm opportunities to generate or maximise energy efficiently - $1000 cash/product); and 

• regional awards (Northland Regional Council Water Quality Enhancement Award, Bay of Plenty Regional Council Environmental Award, Waikato Regional Council Water Protection Award, The East Coast Farming for the Future Award, Horizons Regional Council Award [for the integration of trees], Akura Conservation Centre Lifestyle Farm/Small Block Award, Environment Canterbury Regional Council Water Efficiency Award, and Otago Regional Council Sustainable Resource Management Award).

All entries opened on 1 August 2012. Entry forms for the 2013 competition, and contact details for regional coordinators, are available from the NZFE website at www.nzfeatrust.org.nz

Conditions in the tropical Pacific are currently on the brink of El Niño, and it is likely El Niño will develop during early spring. Early spring air temperatures are likely to be near average or above average for all regions of the country. 

August-October rainfall totals, soil moisture levels, and river flows are all likely to be near normal or above normal in the north of the North Island, below normal for the eastern South Island, and near normal in all other regions.

Regional predictions for the next three months:

The Ministry for Primary Industries’ (MPI) new combined primary industry statistics for the March 2012 quarter (with data from the seafood sector now included) show that the sector accounted for 71% of all NZ merchandise exports in the year to March 2012.

Reasons were: better-than-usual pasture growth during the March 2012 quarter, resulting in near-record carcase weights for slaughtered livestock and an 11.5% increase in milk solids’ production, compared with the same quarter in 2011. However, the increased production was counterbalanced by a stronger NZ dollar and easing international dairy prices. The result was that overall primary sector export revenue for the quarter was down 2.4% on the previous year (to $8.3 billion). However, total export earnings for the year to March 2012 were up 6.2% on the previous year at $32.3 billion.

As part of this week's RWNZ National Council meeting, we invited some of our stakeholder group supporters, sponsors and professionals we work with to join us for an early evening get together.

Included among the guests were the Minister of Women's Affairs Hon. Jo Goodhew, senior police inspector Morris Cheer, Land and Water Forum chairman Alistair Bisley, Freedom Camping Forum chair Geoff Ensor, and Government and community relations manager Peter Fa'afiu of New Zealand Post.

We decided to make best use of this networking opportunity by including a 'speed dating' event. Several national councillors and staff gave three minute informative presentations on some of our key projects and policy campaigns. There were many questions and comments afterwards and guests said it really helped them appreciate the broad nature of our organisation and depth of our advocacy and charitable activity. 

Topics covered included our Canterbury fundraiser - Aftersocks; RWNZ's response to the PSA outbreak in Bay of Plenty (community action); RWNZ on the world stage (attending U.N. CEDAW and supporting ACWW); Pets as Pawns (RWNZ as social change agents); School bus safety and making better use of disused rural school buildings; 'Caring Counts' and RWNZ's 70 year campaign for fair travel costs reimbursement for rural home support workers.

It was 21 minutes very well spent!

Kind regards,
Liz

Beef + Lamb NZ Ambassador, Ben Batterbury recently cooked Cadrona Merino at one of our RWNZ Cooking Demonstrations held in Winton (recipe below).

Cadrona Merion is a unique product to New Zealand and is receiving great acclaim from chefs across the country. 

After years of poor meat and wool returns, Cardrona Valley farmer Ben Gordon decided to throw a carcass over his shoulder, remove the middleman, and sell his delicate merino lamb direct to chefs. After a lot of hard graft and early on speed wobbles, Cardrona Merino is now performing well.

You can hear more about Cadrona Merino HERE.

RWNZ Beef + Lamb Cooking Demonstrations are taking place around New Zealand over the coming months. Click here to find out more.

Cardrona Merino Lamb “Tagine” with Falafel, Cauliflower Cous Cous and Black Olive
Serves approx 8

Lamb
2 lamb Topsides marinated in oil with cumin seeds, cinnamon, star anise and garlic. To serve just fry the meat in a pan until golden and roast in the oven, leave to rest for 10 mins and carve and serve.
4 lamb short ribs marinated in brine (1ltr water, 100g salt, 20g sugar)
in the brine i add :
20g cumin powder
5g Turmeric
3g Paprika
5g Star anise
10g coriander powder
2 cloves garlic
15g fresh ginger
3g cinnamon powder
Leave the ribs overnight then drain, rinse and dry. Brown these in a pan and reserve.
In another pan take 1 sliced onion and fry this until soft add a tbsp of honey and caramelise this. Add 200ml white wine and a litre of chicken or lamb stock. Add a small amount of fresh spices used in the brine and simmer briefly. Put this and the ribs into a braising dish, cover with tin foil and cook in a 150 0c oven for about 1-1.5 hours until tender. Leave to cool. Gently remove the ribs and chill. Pass the liquor and reduce until sauce consistency reserve. When ready to serve brush the ribs with the sauce and bake in a hot oven (180 0c) until glazed and heated through.

Dried Apricot and Cinnamon Puree
70g Dried Apricots
10g Sugar
250mlr water
½ tsp Cinnamon powder
2g Cumin seeds
10ml Grape seed oil
Boil all except the oil in a pan until the apricots are tender then blend adding more water if needed then add the oil and pass through a fine sieve. Reserve

Falafel (will make about 30)
250g Dried Chick Peas soaked overnight then rinsed and drained
5g chopped garlic
100g chopped onion
1 tbsp butter
Cook the onion and garlic in the butter until soft and leave to cool
12g cumin powder
4g turmeric
12g Coriander powder
Toast the spices in a dry pan
½ bunch coriander chopped
1g chill flakes
1 egg
salt
1-2 limes
1 slice white bread crusts removed
1 red chilli finely diced
Place all into a food processor until it becomes a paste then fry one to check the flavour. When happy shape the falafels and reserve until needed

Olive Paint
Dry in a low oven or dehydrator a handful of pitted black olives until dry then blend with a touch of olive oil to form a paste. reserve

Cauliflower cous cous
200g Cauliflower grated on a cheese grater
chopped coriander
1 tbsp butter
In a hot frying pan add the butter until if foams then add the cauliflower and fry until golden brown add the coriander a pinch of salt and its ready!

To Serve
to garnish this i use a few toasted sliced almonds, some cooked whole chick peas, some buttered cavalo nero cabbage and some fried aubergine.
Brush the plate with olive paint place the cavalo nero at one end and place the carved top side onto this. At the other end spoon the cauliflower and place the ribs. In the middle place the falafel. Sprinkle with almonds, spoon around a few chick peas and aubergine, and dot the apricot puree around the plate. Finish with a spoon of the rib sauce and Enjoy!